Lwandamina gives Zambia’s local players chance ahead of AFCON 2027

Interim Zambia coach George Lwandamina has opened the race for places in the Chipolopolo squad by assembling 28 locally based players ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The group is being assessed before the arrival of Zambia’s foreign-based players.

Zambia will begin the qualifying campaign in Algeria on 25 September and then host Togo at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola four days later. Both matches are part of Group I, which also includes Burundi, in the race for the tournament to be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

The current camp gives Lwandamina time to study players based in Zambia before the FIFA international window starts on 21 September. The interim coach is examining options in several positions, as well as how different combinations work, with selection places expected to become harder to secure once the overseas contingent joins.

Lwandamina has told the local players that they must improve their level if they want to break into the final squad. Their work during this period therefore offers the first opportunity to make a case for inclusion in a team that faces an away match against Algeria before returning home to meet Togo.

The camp has not yet included players from Power Dynamos, Red Arrows and Zesco United. Those clubs were taking part in an international pre-season tournament, with their players expected to widen the pool available when the next phase of preparations begins.

Algeria provide the most demanding test in the group, while the home fixture against Togo follows only four days later. For the players already under assessment, the limited preparation time before the qualifiers makes the local camp an important route towards selection. Zambia’s squad picture will become clearer as the clubs’ players return and the foreign-based members arrive.